Chris Lombardi puts defense and security under the spotlight, as he shares his takes on recent NATO and EU cooperation and provides insight into the company’s own long-term strategic partnerships in Europe.

Three trends are currently driving the global electricity sector: decarbonization, decentralization and differentiation. Utilities are making significant contributions to mitigate carbon emissions, while a technology revolution is …

News in brief

European Voice

9/3/08, 5:00 PM CET

Updated 4/12/14, 4:18 PM CET

Cyprus talks

Leaders of both parts of divided Cyprus yesterday (3 September) formally began talks aimed at reuniting the island. Cyprus President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat will meet each week to try to set up a power-sharing arrangement.

ECJ ruling on black-lists

The European Court of Justice ruled yesterday that the Council of Ministers is infringing human rights in the way it adds people to one of its terrorist black-lists. The ECJ found that people added to the list, which is based on decisions taken by the United Nations, were not granted their right to be heard, or right to judicial review. It has given the Council three months to resolve the issue or face annulment of the list.

Pesticide rules harmonised

Revised EU rules on pesticides entered into force on 1 September, setting harmonised maximum levels for residues in food, replacing the 27 different national lists. The European Commission described the new rules as “an important step to ensure food safety”.

Cloning for food ban

MEPs yesterday backed a resolution (630 for, 32 against) calling for the European Commission to ban animal cloning for food production. The Commission is expected to bring forward proposals on the issue later this year.

Belgian nuclear leak

Belgium’s nuclear authorities alerted the European Commission on 28 August to an accidental release of gaseous Iodine-131 from the Institut National de Radio-éléments (IRE) in Fleurus. An EU notification system on radiological information requires member states to pass on news in the event of a radiological or nuclear emergency.

Trial proposals backed

MEPs on Tuesday (2 September) backed proposals aimed at improving recognition between member states of trials carried out in the absence of the accused and at giving more powers to Eurojust, the EU judicial co-operation body. Although the approval of the Parliament is not required for the proposals, made by the Council of Ministers in January, to become law, they received overwhelming backing from MEPs during the plenary session in Brussels.